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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · bark · key · pitch · plane · fan · wake · pass

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. key — in music
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitch — completely
  24. plane — in geometry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com